Stock gar foe transporting poultry



'(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J; NOLAN. STOGK CAR FOR TRANSPORTING POULTRY.

No. 425,242. Patented Apr. 8, 1890.

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(No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet 2.

. r J. NOLAN. STOCK GAR FOR TRANSPORTING POULTRY.

Patented Apr. 8, 1890.

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(No Model.) I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J.NOLAN. I STOCK UAR FOR TRANSPORTING POULTRY.

Patented Apr. 8, 1890 m I H [WVEJVTOR J vm es .Wblww WITNESSES MJ XZKQ the coops J in place. I preferably construct the stanchions in the form of a skeleton frame of gas-pipe, as shown in Figs. 5, 10, andll, where a and b are two vertical members and 0 horizontal members, which are secured to the vertical members. The vertical member a turns in vertical bearings c, secured to the side walls of the car, in which it is also free to slide vertically, and the vertical member 1) extends with its ends into proximity to the roof and floor of the car, and is adapted to be engaged at its upper end with a lockingsleeve f, slidingly sleeved on a stud g, which projects from the roof of the car, while the lower end of the member I) is adapted to engage. coincidingly with a step 7L, formed on the floor of the car. As the stanchions are of lesser width than the distance at which they are placed apart, they may be folded close against the sides of the car entirely out of the way, and if turned at right angles to the sides of the car they can be firmly locked in place.

The coops are substantially of known construction, being formed with slats or boards with open spaces between upon all sides and upon top, with a close bottom, aclose division wall through the middle, and a movable slat i in the front of each compartment for suitable access. The coops are constructed in a substantial manner and are preferably boun d with iron strapsj.

The object of the stanchions is to hold the coops J. in position against displacement by the motion of the car. To this end the stanchions are just far enough apart to allow the coops to be placed between the stanchions. In the drawings the dimensions are such as to place six coops conveniently on top of each other between the stanchions. To hold them in place, I form projections J on the ends of the coops, which projections are adapted to engage back of the central vertical members Z) of the stanchions, as shown in Fig. 3, whereby the coops are prevented from displacement against the center of the car, while no end motion can take place as the stanchions are locked in position. The projections J .on the coops may be formed by merely securing two blocks of wood to the ends of each coop and by placing one at the bottom at one end and the other at the other end near the top. The coops can be made to fit between the stanchions without interfering with the blocks or projections J of. the adjoining coops, thus utilizing all the space and bringing all the coops in actual contact with each other, so that the strain caused by the tendency of longitudinal displacement when the car is in transit need not be sus tained entirely by the stanchions. The depth of the coops is calculated to leave when the ear is loaded an aisle K in the center of the car, which is of sufficient; width for the attendant to attend to his work of feeding and watering the poultry, which is effected by means of the sliding doors or slats i, which, as

shown in Fig. 2, are arranged at different heights in the different compartments of each coop, and so that they can be slid back toward the center without interfering with each other. A simple locking device is provided for each sliding slat by providing it with a horizontal slot 1', terminating in a vertical portion i and engaging with a pint in the housing of the inner ends of the slats The manner of opening and closing these sliding slats is self-evident.

The provisions made for carrying food and water consist of a water-tank L, preferably of tubular shape, suspended in the center of the roof in one end or half of thecar. This tank has a suitable fill-opening L in the top, and

one or more discharge-openin gs L, controlled by valves in the bottom, for the convenient distribution of the water into the coops by means of a flexible hose attached thereto. To prevent freezing, or to take the chill off the water in cold weather, I preferably arrange a little heating-drum outside the tank and communicating therewith through a system of circulating-pipes L andnnderneath this heater I place a suitable source of heat, such as the oil-stove L By this means the water in the tank L circulates through theheater Irand maybe kept from freezing. The food is kept in a bin M, suspended in a similar manner as the water-tankin the center of the roof of the car in the other halfor end of the car. This bin is preferably hopper-shaped incrosssection, as shown in Figs. 5 and 8, and is provided at the under side with one or more sliding doors h for letting out the grain or other food contained therein in such quantities as wanted for use, and one or more openings M are provided in the top for filling the bin from the outside.

It will be seen that my construction embodies great simplicity in all its various details, and comprises all the facilities for the safe and convenient transportation of poultry and kindred stock. To some of the features of my construction I desire to call special attention as embodying the principal parts of my invention. I

In transporting poultry the most careful attention is necessary. as to ventilation, as while the poultry need plenty of fresh. air they are nevertheless very susceptible to exposure in hot, cold, or inclement weather, and

constant losses are incurred in shipment either by too much exposure or from a lack of fresh air. Now, with my construction a plentiful supply of fresh air may be admitted directly into each coop through the side walls of the car, and a circulation of air is maintained through the coops, into the aisle, and out through the ventilation in the roof. If the wind blows too strong against one side of the car, the ingress of air on this side may be reduced or altogether cut off. In inclement weather the openings in the sides of the car may be partially or altogether closed and suflicient ventilation secured by opening at intervals or through the openings at the ends of the car. Thus no contingency of weather can arise in which suitable provisions cannot be made for providing suffieient and ample ventilation without exposure. The provisions made for preventing the sh utter from rattling also serve the purpose of keeping out the air when the shutters are closed, and the devices provided for adjusting the shutters reduce the work to a minimum.

An important advantage is secured in my construction as regards the loading and unloading of the cars. With coops or stalls of a stationary nature the loading and unloading of the car consumes a great deal of valuable time and delays the use of the cars. \Vith my construction the loading is accomplished in a small fraction of time, as the coops may be kept all ready, with the poultry in, to be carried into the car as fast as they can be put in place, which consumes but little time, as the loading may be proceeded with from the four corners of the car simultaneously toward the middle. The stanchions,being all folded against the sides, are out of the way, until they are one after another turned into position as the vertical rows of coops are piled up. The unloading is proceeded with from the middle toward the ends, and the coops are carried out with the poultry in them, the stanchions being folded out of the way as soon as they are free to fold.

The construction and arrangementof the parts afford the greatest possible economy of space, as the whole interior of the car is utilized, exceptthe necessary space for an attendant to move around, and if the openings in the side walls are made sufficiently numer ous and large plenty of light is obtained through them without the expense of win- (lows.

The stanchions, as will be seen, form little or no obstruction inside of the car when folded against the side walls, and thus the car is available for ordinary uses in transport-ing freight. When extended between the coops they project only about half the depth of the coops, and form no obstruction to the light or air, and by securing the stanchions to a vertical upright, fastened to the side walls between the sliding shutters, an abutment is provided for the rear end of the coops to preventthe coops from coming in contact with the shutters.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In a stock-car, the combination, with a car-body having openings or perforations in the side walls, of inside sliding shutters suspended by hangers, overhead rails on which the hangers are placed, and of rock-shafts journaled in the car-floor, said rock-shafts having eccentrics thereon, whereby they are adapted to hold the shutters against the side walls, as described.

In a stock-car, the combination of side walls having openings or perforations, the inside sliding shutters applied thereto, overhead rails on which the shutters are suspended, the central bars connecting them in series, and the rack-bar and pinion device applied thereto to simultaneously control each series of shutters from the ends of the car on the inside, substantially as described.

3. In a stock-car, the combination of the side walls having openings or perforations, the inside sliding shutters applied thereto to control the admission of air, overhead rails on which the shutters are suspended through said openings, the bars connecting the shutters in series, the rack and pinions device for simultaneously controlling each series of shutters, and the rock-shafts journaled in proximity to the sliding shutters and provided with eccentric portions or projections adapted to crowd the shutters against the side walls, sub stantially as described.

4. In a stock-car, the combination of the side walls having openings or apertures, inside sliding shutters connected in series for joint operation to control the admission of air through said openings or perforations, overhead rails on which the shutters are suspended, angle-bars secured to the lower ends of the sliding shutters, and rock-shaftsone for each connected series of shutters-journaled near the car-floor below the sliding shutters and provided with eccentrics or projections adapted to bear against the dependent flanges of the angle-bars, and means for operating the rock-shaft, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the car-body having the perforated side walls rovided with doors in the center thereof, of the sliding inside shut-ters F, connected in series on opposite sides of the door for joint adjustment to control the admission of air through the openings in the side walls, the hangers F and rail F, from which the shutters are suspended, the angle-bars H secured to the lower ends of the shutters, the rock-shaft H, journaledbelow the shutters and provided with-eccentric portions or projections H and the lever H and its operating'connection with the rockshaft H, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the car-body having its longitudinal side walls constructed of an outer frame and a perforated sheathing applied to the inside thereof, doors formed in the center of said side walls, shutters F, slidingly suspended from the top of the side walls and provided with openings G, adapted to register with the perforations in the side walls, horizontal bars F connecting the contiguous series of shutters on opposite sides of the doors and extending into the corners of the car, and the rack and pinion device 15 and F, applied thereto to jointly operate each series of shutters from the inside of the car, substantially as described.

7. In a stoclecar, the combination, with independent coops adapted to be placed in vertical rows on top of each other along the side walls of the car-body, of swinging frames for holding the vertical rows of coops in place, said frames being hinged to the side walls of the car to be folded against said sidewalls or to be extended at right angles thereto, and of locking devices applied thereto tolock them in position when thus extended, substantially as described;

8. In a stock-car, the col'nbinatiomwith the car-body, of vertical folding frames or stanchions, each consisting of a vertical member a, hinged to the side walls, the cross-bars c, and

- the vertical member 19, secured thereto, and

the step It and locking-sleeve f, with which said Vertical member is adapted to en gage in the extended position of the stanchion, substantially as described.

9. In a stock-car, the combination, with the car-body, of vertical folding frames or stanchions hinged to the side walls thereof and adapted to be extended at right angles thereto and locked in position, and independent coops having end projections adapted to fit between said stanchions and engage therewith to prevent longitudinal and lateral displacement, substantially as described.

10. In a stock-car, the combination, with the car-body, of vertical folding frames or stanchions, each consisting of a vertical 'memher a, hinged to and supported in vertical bearings on the side wall, the cross-bars 0, extending therefrom, and a Vertical member I), secured to said cross-bars, of the step h and sliding sleeve f, forming a locking device for the Vertical member 11 of the stanchion, and of the coops J, adapted to fit between the stanchions and having the projections J at the opposite ends, one near the bottom and the other near the top, substantially as described.

ll. In a stock-car, the combinatiom'with the car-body, of a water-reservoir secured to the roof of the car and provided with fill and discharge openings, of a heater L connected thereto by a system of circulating-pipes L and the lamp or stove L to heat the water in said heater, substantially'as described.

12. I11 a stock-car, the combination of the following elements: the car-body provided with doors in the center of the sides and with perforated side walls, inside sliding shutters applied thereto, with the contiguous shutters between the doors and ends of the car connected in series for joint operation, a device for holding each series of shutters in frictional contact against the side walls, vertical folding stanchions hinged to the side walls,

locking devices for holding said stanchions in position at right angles to the side walls of the car, independent coops adapted to fit between the stanchions, and projections on the sides of the coops adapted to engage with the stanchions and form abutments between the coops in the adjoining rows, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 14th day of May 1889.

JAMES NOLAN. 

